PID control of quadrotor UAVs: A survey

The proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control is the most common control approach used in industrial and commercial mechatronics products. The PID control has been relevant across history since it is useful and intuitive in practical implementations. The selection of three parameters involving the present, past, and future of the system makes it simple and efficient. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as quadrotors have become very common and helpful in many tasks such as surveillance, mapping, and inspection, among others. Quadrotors present highly nonlinear and coupled dynamics that can be stabilized using four control inputs. These facts have prompted the attention of many control practitioners and theoretical specialists. The literature reveals that PID control has been the natural choice to stabilize quadrotor UAVs since its simplicity and robustness. The advantages of the PID control have been considered to perform combinations with other techniques. This paper surveys applications of PID control structures in quadrotor UAVs paying attention to linear, nonlinear, discontinuous, fractional order, intelligent and adaptive schemes. Future directions of PID control are also discussed, and open problems are highlighted.